Patriots Beat: Brady, LaFell building a rapport

Wednesday

Aug 13, 2014 at 7:14 PMAug 13, 2014 at 7:18 PM

The receiving corps’ new guy had perhaps his best day yet. On a rain-soaked morning not made for aerial passing games, Brandon LaFell and Tom Brady made connections the Patriots brass likely had in mind when they signed the former Carolina Panther on St. Patrick's Day.

By Tim Whelan Jr.Daily News staff

FOXBORO — Day 2 of the joint practices between the Patriots and Eagles bore very little resemblance to Day 1.

The 25,000-plus that had packed the fields behind Gillette Stadium on a picturesque Tuesday afternoon were kept away on a rainy Wednesday morning.

The bleachers and surrounding hills were empty where they had been a sea of red, white, silver, and blue a day earlier.

Despite the downpour, the most important parties, of course, were still in attendance. There is still no guarantee as to if and how much Tom Brady will play when the Patriots host the Eagles on Friday night (7:30 p.m.). But at Wednesday’s practice, in which everything appeared to be live except for the tackling, Brady proved that playing Friday would be more formality than anything.

In the driving rain, he found his accuracy when he had to, going 12-for-17 in 11-on-11 drills.

And the receiving corps’ new guy had perhaps his best day yet, with nary a sun or fan around to see it.

On a morning not made for aerial passing games, Brandon LaFell and Brady made connections the Patriots brass likely had in mind when they signed the former Carolina Panther on St. Patrick's Day.

"I’ve really enjoyed being with him," Brady said Wednesday of the 6-foot-3 LSU product. "He’s added a lot. He’s got a real love for the game, and he does a great job out there getting open. He just keeps making more plays. It’s really fun for a quarterback to see guys out there really working hard to make the improvements and then really do it, and hopefully it continues to carry over.

"It’s been a lot of fun to be with him."

As Brady is wont to do, he then steered his answer more towards the receiving group as a whole. Remember, his favorite receiver is the open one.

"And Julian (Edelman) and Danny (Amendola) — (it’s the) same thing. KT (Kenbrell Thompkins) has been making a bunch of plays. All those guys who have been out there are great."

For LaFell, the acclimation process to New England has been a work in progress. He is really the lone new guy in a receiving corps that was mostly made up of new guys in 2013.

If Wednesday’s practice is any indication, LaFell is right where he wants to be on Aug 13. During a practice that was rife with drops on both sides, LaFell got open and caught all five balls thrown his way by Brady during 11-on-11 work against the Philadelphia defense.

"It’s been getting better day by day," LaFell said Wednesday of his rapport with Brady. "It was a little rocky this offseason because I was the new guy here. I didn’t know too much, didn’t know where he wanted me to be. But the more reps I get with him, the more times he throws me the ball, and day by day, we just continue to get better.

"I think we’re on a good path right now."

After Brady hit LaFell on a deep out Wednesday, he could be heard yelling, "Great route 1-9." Early in camp, a similar play hadn’t had quite the same result, as LaFell recalled.

"It was one of those plays where we ran it against our defense at the beginning of training camp, and I ended up falling at the top end of the route," he said. "So there was a heavy emphasis today to keep your feet up underneath you and make the play."

Where LaFell may help the most is near the goal line. If Rob Gronkowski is not in the lineup or not at full capacity come September, LaFell would be that big target

"I’ve always been a bigger-bodied receiver," LaFell said. "In Carolina, we had Smitty (Steve Smith), and Ted (Ginn), and there was me. I was the bigger guy out there, so it’s nothing new to me. … I know these receivers, they’ve worked with Tom the last couple years, so he’s got a lot of chemistry with those guys. He trusts those guys. So I know that those guys are going to get the ball.

"But I know in the red zone you can kind of need that bigger body. I’m hoping I can be that guy."

LaFell had 13 TD grabs in four years with Carolina.

Despite signing a three-year, $9 million deal with the Patriots as a veteran free agent, LaFell is keenly aware that there is no roster spot guaranteed.

"I think there’s pressure on everybody, all 11 guys, to do your job right," he said. "Because there’s guys right behind you just as hungry as you. You don’t want to be the guy out there making a mistake."

And, in a climate that produces what to this point LaFell calls "the best weather he’s ever had in training camp," it’s a valuable thing that he welcomes the opportunity to play in sloppy conditions like Wednesday’s.

Like the acclimation process, it won’t always be pretty.

"We’ve got 16 games, everybody’s playing outdoors," LaFell said. "So one of those days it’s going to be a wet ballgame. Situations like this are going to get us more prepared for when it’s time to play in the game."

And at that time, there should be some fans around to see it.

Tim Whelan Jr. can be reached at 508-626-4402 or twhelan@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @thattimwhelan.

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